The Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Ordinance 2026 has been enacted, establishing 18 years as the minimum legal age for marriage for both males and females, and classifying child marriage as a non-bailable offense. This ordinance, promulgated by Governor Saleem Haider Khan, replaces the outdated Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929, which allowed marriage at 16 for females. The new law imposes strict penalties: adults marrying minors face two to three years of rigorous imprisonment and fines up to Rs. 500,000, while cohabitation resulting from child marriage is deemed 'child abuse,' punishable by five to seven years in prison and a minimum fine of Rs. 1 million, as reported by Dawn and ProPakistani. The ordinance also holds guardians accountable, with penalties for promoting or failing to prevent child marriages, and mandates that all offenses be tried in Sessions Courts within 90 days.